Category: Health

Encouraging Staten Islanders to safely dispose of unused medications

4/27/2018

On Friday, April 27th, Borough President James S. Oddo joined with Dennis Gonzalez, Acting Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and representatives from NYPD and the recovery community outside the 122nd Precinct to announce the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day locations on Staten Island. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day took place on Saturday, April 28th.

“Staten Island is doing everything imaginable to push back against this epidemic, and I am proud to see that,” said BP Oddo. “We are doing lots of great things here, but we still need help. We need everyone to come together, law enforcement, the recovery community, elected officials, and especially the federal government.”

"In New York, every week, 70 people die due to a drug-related overdose," said Dennis Gonzalez. "It has to start with us, as individuals, in our homes. One way to do that is by cleaning out our medicine cabinets."

Chris Pancini, a former addict and recovery advocate, noted, "Through my experience of drug addiction, and the hardships of my life, this is near and dear to my heart. I know for myself that experimenting at 13 years old brought me to a really hard bottom. The first pill that I took could be removed from your medicine cabinet tonight."

If you missed National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, you can drop off unwanted prescription medications at the following locations throughout the year:

NYPD 120th Precinct, 78 Richmond Terrace
NYPD 122nd Precinct, 2320 Hylan Boulevard
NYPD 123rd Precinct, 116 Main Street
Delco Drugs, 3833 Richmond Avenue
Super Health Pharmacy, 6400 Amboy Road
Ocean Breeze Pharmacy, 1817 Hylan Blvd
Randal Manor Pharmacy, 395 Forest Avenue

BP Oddo announces the formation of Staten Island’s first Lyme disease patient support group

4/3/2018

Borough President Oddo announced today that at the request of several Staten Islanders diagnosed with Lyme disease, he will be co-sponsoring the borough’s first Lyme disease patient support group forum to be held on April 24th at the JCC. The patient-run forum is open to the public, and participants will be invited to share their stories about the effect of Lyme disease on their health and quality of life.

At the patients’ request, the program for the meeting will be a conversation by patients and among patients, with opportunities for one-on-one discussions. There will not be health care experts nor physicians on the program, as the patients would like to focus on individual stories and patient perspective.

“A group of ten Lyme disease patients came to me asking for help to establish a support group where they would feel comfortable sharing their experiences,” said BP Oddo. “Having been involved in Lyme disease awareness for many years, I immediately saw the value in this initiative and respected the patients’ interest in helping others suffering from this disease.”

In February 2018, the Borough President invited a group of Lyme disease patients to Borough Hall. It was there that the patients and the Borough President’s staff came up with the notion of holding an open forum for those suffering from the disease. Their goal was to provide a venue for Staten Islanders who want to communicate with other Lyme disease patients but don’t currently know how. The forum is designed to not only give comfort to others, but also to create an organizational structure for a support group network that will hold future sessions. Once established, the Lyme Disease Support Group will hold future meetings with medical professionals; however, their core mission is to create a comfortable venue for patients to share their stories.

The event will take place from 6:30-8:30 on Tuesday, April 24th at the Bernikow JCC (1466 Manor Road). Light refreshments will be served at the meeting. Please pre-register for the event by contacting Kelly Pereira at 718-816-2226 or by email at kpereira@statenislandusa.com.

Sleep well, Staten Island

2/26/2018

On Monday, February 26th, BP Oddo unveiled a new public education campaign, “Sleep well, Staten Island,” focused on sleep and its impact on our physical, emotional, and mental health, as well as its effect on the ability of kids to learn.

The goal of this effort is to bring awareness to Staten Islanders on the importance of sleep. Sleep is the third pillar of good health, alongside diet and exercise. However, we want people to realize sleep is more than a pillar; it is a foundation on which the other two health bastions sit. Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.

“In the coming days, weeks, and months, we are going to discuss the physical, mental, and emotional health implications of sleep, start an anti-drowsy driving campaign, and debate the ‘lunacy’ of educational early start times,” said BP Oddo. “The science is there, and we need to get the facts out to the people of Staten Island so they can take steps to improve their health.”

Our office will be unveiling an anti-drowsy driving campaign as part of this initiative, as well as hosting a Sleep Roundtable with sleep experts in the coming months.

Learn more here.

New initiative to develop borough-wide data strategy in battle against opioid epidemic

2/9/2018

On Friday, February 9th, BP Oddo announced that his office is taking steps to develop a borough-wide data strategy to combat the opioid epidemic on Staten Island. The 90-day initiative, which will include public engagement and the convening of an expert panel, will yield a data roadmap that can be used to monitor progress and shape further efforts.

The goal of the effort is to take a comprehensive look at the opioid crisis on Staten Island and develop a focused data strategy that will enable an accurate assessment of the progress made to date, and help identify priority issues where more work is needed. The Office worked closely with Northwell Health on ensuring that both the clinical and non-clinical needs of the Staten Island community impacted by the opioid crisis would be addressed.

The process is expected to yield a total of 10 to 15 high priority measures. This campaign is designed to build on the momentum forged by the hard work being done every single day by treatment providers, law enforcement, government entities, and by many others engaged in this desperate battle to save lives.

To get the best ideas from across the Borough, the Office of the Borough President is seeking public input on key measures in six areas: Surveillance, Prevention, Reversal, Treatment, Diversion, and Recovery. The public comment period will be open for 30 days, beginning on Friday, February 9, through the following website: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OpioidResponseSI

Members of the public are invited to submit comments.

The Office has also assembled an Opioid Data Working Group of nationally renowned experts from CUNY College of Staten Island, New York University, Northwell Health, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The panel will review public input, available data, and best practices across the country and propose a set of critical data points on the opioid epidemic and its response. The Opioid Data Working Group consists of:

●       Chinazo O. Cunningham, M.D., M.S.: Professor and Associate Chief of General Internal Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
●       Anthony C. Ferreri, DBA: CEO of Staten Island University Hospital from 2003 to 2014 and Senior Advisor to the Borough President.
●       Marc N. Gourevitch, MD, MPH: Professor and Chair of the Department of Population Health at the NYU School of Medicine.
●       Jonathan Morgenstern, PhD: Assistant Vice President for Addiction Services at Northwell Health and Professor of Psychiatry at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine.
●       Nora Santiago, Urban Policy Analyst/GIS Specialist at CUNY College of Staten Island.
The Opioid Data Working Group will consult with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of the District Attorney, Staten Island Performing Provider System (PPS), Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness, and the New York City Police Department in conducting their work. The group will also receive support and technical assistance from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They will produce a draft report, which will then be made available to the public for a 30-day comment period. Comments on the draft report may be submitted anonymously if commenters choose.

“It is important to acknowledge the impact of the great work being done on the ground to change the trajectory of this crisis,” said Borough President Oddo, “But we won’t declare victory until there is not a single overdose death in our borough. That’s why we are accelerating our efforts to make headway in this fight. We are launching a concerted effort—modeled after a successful initiative pioneered by Rhode Island—to identify key measures of progress in our battle against the opioid crisis. Put simply, we want to rally all of the important efforts on Staten Island around a set of clear, quantifiable priorities.”

Earlier this year, BP Oddo joined with District Attorney McMahon and the NYPD to announce that they have projected 30 fewer deaths from drug overdoses on Staten Island than there were in 2016—a 26% decrease. The report also noted that there were 286 Naloxone saves in 2017—200% more than in the previous year.

“Opioids have become one of the most deadly public health crises we have ever faced, especially here on Staten Island,” said Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health, the state’s largest health care provider and private employer. “Defeating it will require a holistic approach that addresses clinical and nonclinical needs. With Borough President Oddo’s leadership, this initiative creates an opportunity for strong collaborations with clinicians, community based organizations, government and criminal justice officials. The impact of our collective efforts will ultimately save lives.”

District Attorney Michael McMahon said, “As the drug epidemic continues to claim the lives of our loved ones across the borough, it is crucial that our efforts are coordinated and focused on where we can best make a difference. I would like to commend Borough President Oddo for sponsoring the Data Initiative, to help guide our partners in law enforcement, local government, health, and beyond to the most effective and efficient responses to this deadly scourge.”

“I commend the Borough President for his tireless work to engage the community on the opioid epidemic,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “This new initiative will complement and extend the City’s work around opioids, engage Staten Island residents in effective practices, and further our work throughout the city to turn the opioid overdose epidemic around.”

“Using data effectively is critical to preventing overdoses and saving lives,” said Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “In Rhode Island, our work to strategically and comprehensively track measures around prevention, treatment, rescue, and recovery contributed to the modest success we saw in 2017, when overdoses were down by roughly 8% over the previous year. I commend the Borough President on his goal to use data to inform an overdose response plan that addresses the specific dynamics of this crisis in Staten Island.”

“As an anchor institution, the College of Staten Island is a critical partner in the borough-wide fight against the opioid epidemic. We are pleased to join the Borough President’s data initiative by contributing the College’s intellectual capital and expertise in the areas of health science, data analytics, and data mapping to this important effort,” said President William J. Fritz, College of Staten Island.

Following the panel and public comment period, a final report will be released in May.

Hundreds attend Direct Connect Sunday

1/28/2018

On Sunday, January 28th, BP Oddo hosted his annual Direct Connect Sunday at the Petrides School. Visitors were able to address BP Oddo and his staff directly with their quality-of-life issues, as well as check out detailed displays about plans and initiatives rolled out during 2017, including our agenda for 2018. Some of the topics covered include overdevelopment, infrastructure, transportation, education, and health and wellness.

We welcomed over 250 people at the event. Forty city agencies, cultural organizations, and local groups were in attendance to talk about their services and answer questions.

“When I took office in 2014, we threw the doors of Borough Hall open to welcome the public in,” said BP Oddo. “We continue to build on that concept by bringing our annual open house to new locations and inviting groups from the community to talk about their work. This event gave Staten Islanders a chance to come and learn more about what we’ve worked on during our first term and see our plans for the future, as well as get help with their concerns and become a little more involved in their community. Thank you to all the organizations who participated and all who attended.”

If you were not able to attend the event, click here to see our informational boards, which contain an overview of the initiatives we are tackling now.

Free flu shots to be given out at Borough Hall

10/20/2017

BP Oddo is pleased to join with NYC Health + Hospitals to provide free flu shots on Monday, October 30th from 10am to 3pm. The drive will take place at Borough Hall in Room 125.

Seasonal influenza, commonly called “flu,” is a contagious illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract (the nose, throat, and lungs) and can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications.

Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections. The flu can cause mild to severe illness for days, and in some cases can lead to more serious health problems and even death. It is estimated that every year in the United States, about 5% to 20% of the population gets flu, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications. Each year, more than 2,000 New Yorkers die from flu-related illness.

Those at high risk for serious flu complications include pregnant women, children under five years of age, adults over 65, nursing home residents and people with other serious health conditions.

“I’m happy to partner again with Health + Hospitals to bring Staten Islanders free flu shots,” noted BP Oddo. “As the weather begins to get colder, it’s important to get vaccinated against the flu, especially if you might be at risk of complications. Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself as well as those around you from this illness.”

No appointment is necessary to receive a flu shot. Those presenting for a flu shot need to sign a consent form and show photo ID.

Free thyroid screenings at Borough Hall on October 24th

10/13/2017

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce that he will host another round of free thyroid cancer screenings at Borough Hall. The screenings will take place on Tuesday, October 24th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room 125. The screenings are sponsored by HeartScan Services.

The rate of diagnosis of thyroid cancer has increased in recent years due to improvements to technology. In many cases, physicians cannot feel a nodule, but cancer can be detected through ultrasound screenings. The survival rate of thyroid cancer is very high when the cancer is found in early stages.

This is the second round of thyroid screenings the office has sponsored this year. In July, over 60 Staten Islanders participated in the screenings.

“I encourage all Staten Islanders to take advantage of these free screenings,” said Borough President Oddo. “We are providing these services to encourage Staten Islanders to engage in preventative measures and take charge of their health. The earlier cancer is found, the easier it is to treat.”

An appointment must be made to be screened. Contact Renee Sarno at 718-816-2133 to reserve your appointment.

BP Oddo urges Staten Islanders to learn how to "Stop the Bleed"

9/26/2017

On Tuesday, September 26th, BP Oddo joined with Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) to urge Staten Island businesses and organizations to take part in the hospital’s “Stop the Bleed” training program. This free program, available to Staten Island businesses and organizations, aims to train as many people as possible in the community in bleeding control, essentially increasing the pool of first responders for bleeding emergencies. SIUH trained members of the Borough President’s staff on how to use hands, dressings, and tourniquets to stop bleeds and save lives in case of an emergency situation.

Trainings are usually 60-90 minutes, and SIUH will conduct the bleeding control training program with any agency/organization where there is potential for large amounts of casualties free of charge in order to protect the resident of Staten Island.

At the training, BP Oddo also announced that he has allocated funding for the purchase of 65 trauma first aid kits to be supplied to trainees. He is also in discussions with Council Member Matteo about possible legislation requiring these kits in certain public places.

“This is very important work SIUH is doing,” said BP Oddo. “It is unfortunate that such training is necessary, but we know that it is in today’s world. Just as we did with AEDs, we need to get these kits into the hands of New Yorkers and get them trained.”

“We're totally behind the effort to train people to be first responders,” noted Dr. Michael Bernstein, Chair of Surgery at SIUH. “We're here to provide support to the community and put our resources behind any members of the community who are willing to learn these crucial lifesaving skills.”

To get more information or to sign up for upcoming trauma training, call the Trauma Division at SIUH at 718-226-1267 or visit bleedingcontrol.org.

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